NZ transgender wins medal, Talakhadze breaks records

"However there're still things we need to improve on and the association and the coaching staff will review the performance in Anaheim and try to improve for future tournaments", she added.

A New Zealand transgender lifter will go for gold against an American Olympic medallist when the super-heavyweight classes bring the weightlifting world championships to a close on Tuesday.

A former top male lifter, Hubbard has attracted global headlines since making the decision to compete as a woman, something she is entitled to do under worldwide Weightlifting Federation and worldwide Olympic Committee rules.

Duangaksorn lifted 115kg in her second snatch attempt but failed to hoist 119kg in her third to finish fifth.

But Simon Kent, high performance manager of Olympic Weightlifting New Zealand, told Radio Sport there's no right or wrong about Hubbard competing as a woman: "This is a tremendously complex issue that isn't as simple as what people are perceiving when they see Laurel compete".

Hubbard met requirements set by the International Weightlifting Federation and International Olympic Committee to compete as a woman, given that he met the testosterone level threshold 12 months prior to competition.

"There was no controversy between the lifters about her presence here, but there was between some of the coaching staffs", said Robles' coach Tim Swords, according to Reuters. Robles totalled 284 kilograms ahead of Hubbard, who lifted 275kg, and Egyptian Shaimaa Khalaf on 268kg.Talakhadze won the men's super-heavyweights with a total of 477kg, improving his own world record by 4kg. "Nobody wanted her to win".

She won New Zealand's first medal in the championships, which began in 1891, but declined to discuss her achievement and refused to attend media conferences.

"We didn't agree with it, with somebody who was a man for so long, who has different hormones, different feelings", Hosnytaha told Stuff, adding that the situation "is not fair".

Australia's weightlifting chief recently said New Zealand's selection of Hubbard will create an uneven playing field at next year's Commonwealth Games.

There is still widespread unease among the weight lighting community that he has an unfair advantage over his biologically female opponents.

Keelan also noted to Fox Sports: "If you've been a male, and you've lifted certain weights, then you suddenly transition to a female, psychologically you know you've lifted those weights before".